Machinery for decorticating the leaves of fibrous plants



Nov. 16', 1926.

G. SEYMOUR MACHINERY FOR DECORTICATING THE/ LEAVES OF FIBROUS PLANTSFiled June 2. 1926 g 8" MWENTOE GEOBGQ SE mmue Patented Nov. 16,1926.

. enonen SEYMOUR, or nannow, ENGLAND.

a acnmnny son DECORTICATING THE Leaves or rnsnousrnanrs."

' Application filed June 2, 1926, Serial No. 113,235, and inGreatBritain January 19, 1925.

so forth. The present invention is specially applicable to the elongatedspiky sisal leaves (Agave sisalcma) to remove the meaty or pulpy greenbulk and to obtain the small J by a strip or blade member.

percentage of fibrous material.

Machines of this type usually include a drum or drums of cast ironprovided on their peripheries respectively with a'plu'rality ofcircumferentially spaced decorticator knives of angular section. Saiddrum rotates over a concave or bed of phosphorbronz'e, and theleaves arefed between the. I drum and bed whereby all the extraneous- This objectis effected by, replacing theusual concave quadrant or arcuate bed-plateThis is of phosphor-bronze or the'like, and dis-posed in an inclinedposition across the periphery of the drum. It is equally spaced awaytherefrom and as, by virtue of its inclination, it follows to an extentthe circumferential curve of the drum, it is accordingly helically bentto conform to thisshape.

' In order that the said inventionmay be readily understood, referenceis directed to the following 'clescription'and accompanying drawings,wherein r igure 1 is an end View of a drumand two diametrically oppositebed-plate bars,

7 and associated fittings, shown, for example,

as employed in the construction of a decorticator according to my copending application No. 113,234.

Figure 2 is a development of the bedplate, and portions of thesupporting frames. In the drawings, 1, 1 represent the side longitudinalchassis frames of a vehicle, as

this invention is particularly applicable to drum a suitable number ofknives 5 'are fixed (which, if desired, may be inclined across theperiphery from side toside) The said improvedbed-plate, or more correctly bed-bar -6, may be of any suitable section, and may present arounded, fiat or angular edge facingthe'drurn. For example, j

it may be of" square or' rectangularsection. VJ hen a bed-bar ofthisnature is mounted acrosstWo curved side frames 7, 7 concentric.

with the druml2, the; parts. of the leaves a which have been strippedcan hangoverthe damaged as the leaf is further fed in.

The bed-b21126 maybe adjustable withrelation to the drum manner, forinstance, by; mounting the bedbar carrier 8 slidably at 9 in the frames7,7;

Inthe drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a gripping conveyor guide.forming no part of the present invention, and more particularlydescribed in .the said'coepending appli-' cation. V

It is preferred to employ a plurality of bed-bars 6,; (such as twodiametrically opposite) operating in accordance with the said co-pendingapplicatiom and, as illus trated, the mounting of anotherone underneaththe drum is similar to the mounting hereinbefore described, similarvreference numerals indicating corresponding parts.

It will'be apparent that the present in vention resultsin lightness ofconstruction, I

and in this respect it is particularly applicable to the transportabledecorticating 7 plant described in my oo-pending application' No.113,235 of even date hereof. It is,

however, applicable to most or of decorticators.

I claim '1. In a machine for decorticating leaves of fibrous plants,spaced side members, a drum rotatably mounted between said mem bers,knives on said drum, and a narrow strip-like helical bed-bar mountedonsaid many types side members. 4

2. In a machine fordecorticating leaves of fibrous plants includingspaced side members. having guides, a,- drum rotatably mounted betweensaid members, knives on said drum,'and a narrow strip-like bed-bar havinstraight parallel side edges and arranged obliquelybetween said sidemembers conforming to the curvature of the drum, parallel supportingmembers carried by the underside of the bed-bar and slidable in theguicles,' and adjusting screws carried by the side name members and en-In testimony whereof I have affixed my 19 signature heteto this 19thclay of April, 1926; r

'j GEORGE SEYMOUR.

